They have to....

[growalot]

get use to the new water tub I put out for them....all plot areas have watering holes.."tubs" ...one I raise frogs in ever year...which makes me feel good ...for a good amphibian population is a sign of a healthy piece of land and around our place you can't walk any where that your not trying to avoid Hell binders,toads, snakes, frogs and especially little red newts a new one this year...and I have yet to figure it out is we found (Angel Found) a mess of tiny baby painted turtles in the flower bed along the house...We have no water up here or across the street..except a sping /heavy rain "pond"over there..and the springs way down the hill.

 

Any how I added the water tub to a lower plot area...for all neighbors around me there have the springs and ponds...my springs and water falls are a half mile away.....The deer are trying to get use to it...I figure it will take about a week..I usually brush them in but didn't have time...

 

 

[Cabin Fever]

Be careful... you might get accused of "baiting" with that water tub! 

[growalot]

Actually from a legal stand point I often wondered about that...and have read and reread the law ...I...obviously ...don't believe water applies...It's funny though..over the years of watching these water features...it's squirrel...turkey ..hawks..and raccoon that use them the most...I've seen turkey peck holes in the ice early mornings and doe stomp the ice free to drink in late fall...even though a few hundred yards away are open running year round streams......Unfortunately though...Angel loves to hop in the tubs and lay down whens shes out and about with me...lol

[Fantail]

I thought of doing something like this up from the swamp but it's really not far away where there is a little running water. Then there's the leaves, insect crap and I'd wind up with a mosquito pool. Curious do you use dunk tabs, well water?

[phade]

Water in the right place is useful, even where there is water nearby in a "not as right" place, if that makes sense.

 

 

[growalot]

Some tubs have solar water fountains ..skeeters don't like moving water...and the animals get use to it  if the flow is low...others I use a small amount of dunk...have used it for years with the goats water with no ill effects to anything but the bugs...and the frogs breeding tub...well really no need there..they take care of it...but that water can't get cleaned...because it takes so long for the tad poles to grow...I mean it gets down right nasty...green and smelly...then all of a sudden I have a bunch of baby frogs...and a couple of rains the thing clear right back up so you can see in it....It amazes me every year...but still every other year it's stripped scrubbed and refilled...the others are cleaned once a year...

 

Many years ago I read an article that stated deer prefer to drink from standing water over moving water...how true it is I don't know...but I have 2 stands among 6 running springs and one in the swamp....I have never seen a deer stop to drink from the springs ...but they regularly do out of the swamp...

[phade]

I think it's a safety thing grow. Deer need to put their head down to drink. Moving water is generally louder, reducing their senses.

 

The other thing, too, is that deer often drink from muddy puddles over clear ones. Some believe it's a mineral content thing.